Compare towns
Gilford vs Meredith vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gilford has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Meredith has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Gilford | Meredith | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,830 |
6,758Lowest |
16,038Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±3.9 11% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Meredith and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Windham and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Windham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,635±$11k 18% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,500±$56kLowest 13% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$747 23% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Gilford and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
31 minHighest 15% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4.4 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Gilford School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Gilford High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
11.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.